Dispensing box

ABSTRACT

The present apparatus relates to a container that can be adapted to provide easier access to materials housed within a cavity of the container. Traditionally, as materials, such as tissue paper is depleted, the material falls to the bottom of the cavity making it difficult to extract. The present system provides leaves formed by perforations in the bottom of a container that can be separated from the bottom and pushed into the cavity to support a partially depleted group of materials, which then may be biased toward the top of the container by the leaves for easy extraction.

BACKGROUND

Dispensing boxes for thin flexible materials are generally known. For example, there exist cardboard boxed for dispensing stacks of tissues. One example of such a box is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,421, issued to Tipping, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein for all purposes. The tissues are interwoven with one another so that as one tissue is extracted from the top of the box, it draws the next tissue partially out so that the next tissue can be easily grasped. The problem with that design is that as more and more tissues are withdrawn, the weight of the stack of the tissues in the box keeps the stack of tissues resting on the bottom of the box. The interwoven portion of the successive tissue that is drawn out of the box become shorter and shorter with every successive tissue removed. Often, for example, when the box is less than half full, there is not sufficient tissue drawn out from the removal of one tissue to keep the following tissue protruding from the box. The stack of tissues rests on the bottom of the box and the following tissue falls down inside the box. At first glance, the box looks like it is empty because no tissues protrude, and to retrieve a tissue, a person must reach deep into the box to grab a tissue, or lift and invert the box to bring the tissues to the top. Thus there is a need for a simple solution to ensuring that the latter half of the tissues in a box remain positioned at the top of the box such that successive tissues are pulled and remain partially out of the box.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM

The present system provides a simple solution. The present system comprises a container with a top and a bottom and that is adapted to hold a plurality of tissues. The top includes a cutout from which tissues may be extracted. The bottom includes one or more leaves that is adapted to lay flat when the box is filled with tissues, but is further adapted to fold up and into the box when the tissues have been partially depleted. The one or more leaves fold into the interior of the box and form a new resting base for the tissues to lift the tissues and bias the tissues toward the top of the container. In one example, the container is a rectangular cardboard box having a top, four sides, and a bottom. The top includes a perforated section adapted to be torn away and removed from the box leaving an access hole in the top of the box. The access hoe may be covered by a film (such as plastic) with a slit through with tissues within the box may be extracted from the interior of the box. The bottom includes a perforated section that defines two leaves that, upon severing the perforation, bend up and into the box. The lengths of the leave may be substantially identical and generally less than the height of the box, for example between 50% and 75% of the height of the box. The bottom perforations may also be covered by a film within the box such that dirt or dust cannot enter the interior of the box through the perforation holes prior to the leaves tearing the perforation holes and bending into the box. The leaves are adapted to tear the perforations, fold into the box to bias and support a partial stack of tissues.

Further embodiments are set forth in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the present system.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present system depicting the leaves folded into the cavity of the container.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the inside of an embodiment of the present system opened and laid flat.

FIG. 4 is an embodiment of the bottom portion of the present system.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the inside of an embodiment of the present system opened and laid flat.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the inside of an embodiment of the present system opened and laid flat.

FIG. 7A is an embodiment of the bottom portion of the present system with the perforations defining the leaves intact.

FIG. 7B is an embodiment of the bottom portion of the present system with the perforations defining the leaves torn and the leaves folded up.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the drawings below. In the drawings, like numbers are used to refer to like elements. Unless otherwise stated, “and” is conjunctive, while “or” is disjunctive and conjunctive such that the condition “A or B” is satisfied by any of “A” alone, “B” alone, and “A and B” together.

The present invention is described herein with respect to a typical six-died rectangular tissue box. However, it should be understood that there are multiple ways to form a tissue container such that there is a top where the tissues may be extracted from and a bottom on which a stack of tissues generally rests as well as sides that form a cavity for holding the tissues and that such a container may still practice the invention which is defined solely by the claims. It should also be understood that as used herein, the term tissue simply means a thin, flexible sheet of material.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention. The container includes a top 100, a bottom 101, sides 102 and 103 and a front and a back. It should be understood that the front and back are not shown in FIG. 1 so as to provide a clearer picture of the interior of the container. The interior of the container is simply a cavity defined by the top, bottom, two sides, front and back and it is generally identified in FIG. 1 by numeral 112. The container also includes support leaf 104 and support leaf 105. Support leaf 104 is connected to the bottom 101 along hinge 110 and support leaf 105 is connected to the bottom 101 along support hinge 111. The support hinges are simply the portions along the bottom where the support leafs bend up and into the cavity of the container. In some embodiments, the hinges may be in the form of pre-weakened bend lines to ensure that the leaves bend uniformly into the cavity. In other embodiments, the hinges need not be pre-weakened, but rather may simply correspond to the lines along which the leaves bend when the leaves are bent into the cavity.

Each leaf has a length and a width. Preferably, the length is less than one-half the length of the perpendicular distance between the top and the bottom, which length is shown as 113 in FIG. 1 and which is referred to herein as the length of a side, or alternatively the distance X. For example, in one embodiment, the length of a leaf is approximately 50%-110% of the length of the side (for example, a suitable leaf length may be determined as follows: leaf length=X*50%). As used herein, the term “approximately” when referring to measurements should be understood to mean a measurement that is rounded to the nearest tenth. Thus, for a container that has sides that are 4 inches long, a leaf may have a length that is between 1.9 inches and 4.4499999 inches 1.9 inches, each of which are within a range of 50%-110% of 4 inches rounded to the nearest tenth. Another embodiment may have leaves that are approximately 70%-80% of the length. It has been found that leaves must be over approximately 50% of the length of a side. The leaves hold remaining tissues biased toward the top of the container by lifting a stack of tissues within the container and supporting them. It was found that when the box is more than half full, (i.e. the height of a stack of tissues within the box is over 50% of the height of a side) there is no need to lift the stack. However, when the box is less than half full, there is a tendency for the all the tissues to sink to the bottom of the box requiring the use of the leaves to lift the stack. That tendency increases as the stack of tissues is depleted. Thus is was found that in most instances, a tissue fails to remain partially withdrawn from the container when the stack of tissues is over 70% depleted (thus the stack of tissues is only 30% the length of the side of the container).

It was also found that it is useful to make the lengths of the leave slightly longer than the length that is needed to hold the stack of tissues. That is, if a stack of tissues completely falls into the cavity (i.e. no tissue remains partially withdrawn from the container) when the stack height is 30% of the length of the side, it is useful to utilize leaves that are approximately 80% of the length of the side. In that way, the leaves may resiliently bias the stack against the top as the leaves will tend to bend and push against stack. That also allows the leaves, which may be made simply of thin cardboard traditionally used for tissue boxes, to support the weight of the 30% stack. It was also found that in some cases, particularly very light tissues, constructing the leaves to be approximately 110% the length of the sides ensured that the leaves would maintain a resilient bias in the leaves until all of the tissues were depleted. However, making the leaves over 110% of the length of the side was found to be detrimental because the leaves could not adequately bend in to support thicker stacks of remaining tissues. In some cases the length of the leaves need only be between approximately 75% and 85% of the length of the side. Depending on the weight of the tissue, even after the stack is depleted past the 85% mark, the stack is light enough to rest on the leaves without bending the leaves down such that resilient biasing is no longer necessary.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the lengths of the leaves 104 and 105 are between 60% and 75% the length of the sides. Each leaf folds into the interior of the cavity and supports the stack of tissues 106. With the stack so supported, the top tissue 114 is able to remain partially withdrawn from the cavity. In some embodiments the top of the container may include a retainer 107 that frictionally engages the tissue to help ensure that it remains partially withdrawn. Examples of retainers are well known and include, for example, a thin sheet of plastic with a slit for the tissue. The plastic may be secured to the underside of the top for example at glue lines 108, 109.

FIG. 2 is a perspective of an embodiment depicting leaves 104, 105 that resiliently bias the stack of tissues 106 against the top (not shown). The leaves bend away from the bottom 101 and into the cavity to contact the stack of tissues. The leaves flex to provide a spring resiliency against the stack.

FIG. 3 is a depiction of an embodiment where the container has been laid flat (for example, prior to the container being folded into a box). FIG. 3 shows what will become (once folded together) the interior of the container which defines the three-dimensional cavity that will house the stack of tissues (not shown). The container includes a bottom 101, front 301, top 100, back 302. The container includes two sides, which may be formed from flaps that lay over each other, and the container may include additional flaps to assist in securing the six panels of the container into a three dimensional shape. For example, in FIG. 3 , the two sides are formed of four side portions 102 a, 102 b, 103 a, 103 b and the container includes flaps 301 a, 301 b, 302 a, 302 b and 101 a that assist in forming the box. It should be appreciated that, for example, the side portions 102 a and 102 b are folded over one another to form the side 102. It should be appreciated that there are other configurations that could be used to form the six panels that collectively make up the front, back, top, bottom, and sides of the container.

The top includes perforations 303 that defines a port cover 304. Formation of perforations is generally known in the art, and can be, for example, small holes penetrating the substrate whether the holes are separated from each other by bits of substrate. The perforations allow the port cover to be removed from the container and thereby expose a port through which tissues may be extracted. The bottom 101 includes perforations 305 a and 305 b which correspond to the sides of leaf 104, perforations 306 a and 306 b which correspond to the sides of leaf 105, and perforations 307 which divides leaf 104 from leaf 105. It should be understood that rather than connecting the leaves by perforations 307, a portion of the bottom could separate the leaves, and each leaf could be formed by wholly independent perforations. For example, see FIG. 4 where leaf 104 is defined by perforations 305 a, 305 b, and 307 a, leaf 1105 is defined by perforations 306 a, 306 b, and 307 b, and bottom strip 400 separates leaf 104 from leaf 105.

In practice, the container is formed around a stack of tissues such that the container forms a cavity containing the tissues therein. A user tears the perforations 303 and removes the port cover to form a port and access the tissues. When sufficient tissues have been removed and a user desires to raise the depleted stack up toward the top of the container, the container may be inverted, perforations 305 a, 305 b, and 307 are severed, as are perforations 306 a and 306 b, thereby releasing and separating leaf 104 and leaf 105 from the bottom of the box and each other. The leaves are then folded into the cavity along hinge lines 110 and 111.

With reference to FIG. 4 , each leaf may be substantially rectangular (which includes a shape that is substantially square). By substantially, it is contemplated that the shape would generally be recognized by a person of ordinary skill as a rectangle, even if the measured dimensions do not form a perfect rectangle when measured with absolute precision. The leaves may generally be understood to include a bottom, top, and two sides. As shown in FIG. 4 , the leaf bottom 401 is connected to the container bottom 101 at hinge 110. Opposite the leaf bottom is the leaf top 404. The leaf top is the portion of the leaf that is adapted to contact and bias material within the cavity against the top of the container. The leaf also includes two leave sides, 402 and 403, respectively. While the shape of the leaves 104 and 105 could be different, it is generally contemplated that each will be approximately the same size and shape so as to evenly support material within the cavity.

FIG. 5 is a depiction of the interior of an alternate embodiment. The container again includes a bottom, top, front, back, and side portions. The top includes perforations 303 defining a port cover. The top also includes a retainer 500 having an access slit 501. The retainer may be a plastic film that is glued to the inside of the top. Tissues may be extracted through the access slit. The bottom also includes perforations 305 a, 305 b, 307, 306 a, 306 b defining the leaves. Membrane 502 covers the perforations. Membrane 502 may be a sheet of plastic film that is glued to the interior of the bottom. Because the perforations penetrate the bottom, there is potential for dirt or dust to enter the cavity. Membrane 502 prevents the entry of dirt or dust by covering the perforations. When it is time to use the leaves, the perforations may be torn and separated and the membrane may ether separate at the glue joint or simple tear apart to allow the leaves to fold into the cavity.

FIG. 6 is a depiction of an embodiment of the bottom 101 with an alternative membrane 602. The membrane 600 may be a thin plastic material. The membrane may be substantially larger than the leaves and secured to the inside surface of the box such that when the leaves are folded into the interior of the cavity, the membrane moves and is displaced by the leaves, but remains intact. The tops of the leaves push the membrane up and into the cavity, and the stack of tissues in the cavity rest on top of the membrane, inside the cavity, and are supported by the leaves. In one embodiment, the membrane is a thin cardboard sheet (for example, the same type of cardboard used to manufacture a standard tissue box). The cardboard membrane may be pre-flexed so that it lays flat along the sides and bottom when the container is manufactured and filled with tissues. When the tissues are partially depleted, the leaves may fold into the interior cavity and the membrane is adapted to flex and be pushed up by the leaves. The membrane and leaves support the remaining tissue by forming a bridge within the cavity. In one embodiment the cardboard membrane includes multiple weakened bend lines such that portions on the sides of the membrane fold up like an accordion when the leaves are pushed into the cavity while the center portion of the membrane remains uniform. In an alternate embodiment, the membrane may be a film, such as a thin plastic sheet. The film membrane may be formed as a single strip, or may be of sufficient shape and size to encapsulate the leaves when the leaves are fully pushed into the cavity to support the tissue stack (for example, when the leaves are in the position depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 ). Thus, when the leaves are folded into the cavity, the membrane prevents access from the exterior of the cavity to the interior of the cavity through the hole in the bottom created by tearing the perforations defining the leaves, and thereby ensures that the bottom tissues in the stack of tissues remain clean. This further prevents tampering with the tissues even though the perforations surrounding the leaves may be torn and separated from the bottom. In another embodiment, the membrane 600 may be in the form of a rigid insert, such as a sheet of cardboard that is free floating, and not secured to the interior of the cavity. The dimensions of the membrane are greater than the hole resulting from the separation of the perforations of the leaves. Thus, when a ridged, free floating membrane is utilized, it may be inserted in the bottom of the bod, with tissues on top. When the tissues are sufficiently depleted, the leaves may be folded up and into the box thereby pushing the rigid free floating membrane up, into the box. The rigid free floating membrane is thereby supported by the tops of the leaves and forms a platform on which the tissues may rest and be held proximal to the top of the box.

When the container is manufactured, the membrane 600 may be formed so as to lay flat along the bottom of the container with the stack of tissue piled on-top. When the stack of tissues is depleted, the perforations 305 a, 305 b, 306 a, 306 b, and 307 may be separated and leaves 104, 105 may be folded into the cavity of the container. Simultaneously, the membrane 600 is allowed to flex, move, or unfold to accommodate the leaves. Thus, the membrane and prevent dirt from contacting the stack of tissues when the perforations of the leaves are torn and the leaves are bent into the cavity. Also, as the membrane spans the leaves, the membrane forms additional support for the tissues, preventing the tissues from sagging in the middle. Essentially, the membrane may form a bridge or sling between the leaves 104, 105 to help support the central weight of the tissues.

In one embodiment, the leaves 104, 105 may include one or more additional flaps. For example, in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the leaves are provided with flaps that bend toward the center of the container to provide additional stability. Leaf 104 may include additional perforations 705 a, 706 b that allow the flaps 104 a, 104 b to tear away from the base and bend along hinge lines 710 a, 710 b (see also dotted hinge line in FIG. 7B). Similarly, leaf 105 includes corresponding perforations 706 a, 706 b, and hinge lines 711 a, 711.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such disclosure is not intended to be limiting. Various alterations and modifications will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as covering all alterations and modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A container comprising: a top having a port; a bottom opposite the top and separated from the top by a perpendicular distance; wherein, the bottom includes perforations defining at least one leaf.
 2. The container as in claim 1 further comprising: a front, a back, a first side and a second side, wherein the font, back, first side, second side, top, and bottom are connected together to define a three-dimensional cavity; the port adapted to allow access through the top to the cavity wherein the perforations are adapted to allow a portion of the at least one leaf to be severed from the bottom while a separate portion of the leaf remains attached to the bottom along a hinge.
 3. The container as in claim 2, wherein the at least one leaf is adapted to fold into the cavity along the hinge.
 4. The container as in claim 2, wherein the hinge is a per-weakened line in the bottom.
 5. The container as in claim 1, wherein the bottom includes perforations that define a first leaf and a second leaf.
 6. The container as in claim 5 wherein the leaves are of approximately the same size and shape.
 7. The container as in claim 5, wherein the first leaf comprises a leaf bottom connected to the bottom, a first leaf side defined by a line of perforations, a second leaf side defined by a line of perforations, and a leaf top defined by a line of perforations; wherein the second leaf comprises a leaf bottom connected to the bottom, a first leaf side defined by a line of perforations, a second leaf side defined by a line of perforations, and a leaf top defined by a line of perforations.
 8. The container as in claim 7 wherein the line of perforations defining the leaf top of the first leaf is the same line of perforations that defines the leaf top of the second leaf.
 9. The container as in claim 6 wherein the leaves are rectangular.
 10. The container as in claim 1 wherein the at least on leaf includes a leaf bottom connected to the bottom and a leaf top opposite the leaf bottom, wherein a perpendicular distance measured from the leaf bottom to the leaf top is between approximately 50% and approximately 110% of the perpendicular distance.
 11. The container as in claim 10 wherein the perpendicular distance measured from the leaf bottom to the leaf top is between approximately 75% and approximately 85% of the perpendicular distance.
 12. A container comprising: a top having an exterior surface and an interior surface and a port; a bottom opposite the top and separated from the top by a perpendicular distance, the bottom including an exterior surface and an interior surface; wherein, the bottom includes perforations defining at least one leaf and a film secured to interior surface of the bottom such that the film covers the perforations.
 13. The container as in claim 12, wherein the perforations define a first leaf and a second leaf.
 14. The container as in claim 13, wherein the film is of sufficient size such that when the first leaf is oriented perpendicularly to the bottom and the second leaf is oriented perpendicularly to the bottom, the film spans the distance between the first leaf and the second leaf.
 15. The container as in claim 13, wherein the film is secured around the perforations such that when the perforations are separated, the film prevents access to the interior surface of the bottom.
 16. The container as in claim 15, wherein the top and the bottom are separated by a cavity; wherein folding the leaves into cavity forms a hole in the bottom; wherein the film is secured around the perforations such that when the first leaf is oriented perpendicularly to the bottom within the cavity and the second leaf is oriented perpendicularly to the bottom within the cavity, the film forms a seal around the hole in the bottom. 